Whispers of Pyretic
by Silverstar
Summary: In which Arthur has a fever, and Merlin is simultaneously ice and fire.
_**Hi guys!**_

 _ **So it turns out that late night revision combined with Merlin episodes playing on Netflix in the background results in my word document being filled with the words for another Merlin one-shot instead of Chemistry notes. Hey, who's complaining? I'm certainly not!**_

 _ **Warning for lots of fluff up ahead. Really. That doesn't even count as a warning. Who doesn't love the fluff, I mean c'mon?**_

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The soft squeak as the heavy door was edged open was barely audible over the pounding and throbbing sensation in his head which threatened to overwhelm his senses. Searing heat which seemed to burn all around him creeped over his skin like fingers of flame, tickling his thoughts in an overly warm cocoon. Steady soft footprints crept towards him, slowly curling fingers around the blankets that lay discarded on the floor and hooking them over the back of a chair, drifting closer so that Arthur swore the blurred figure just visible through his swimming vision could feel the waves of heat enveloping him.

Light began to filter into his room in sudden sharp fragments, a harsh and shocking brightness which pierced at the corners of his vision. It hurt, and he made some sort of mumbled protest, allowing the pitiful whine to escape from his mouth as he buried his face into the wonderful coldness of the pillows. The light disappeared just as suddenly, a quiet yet high pitched sound emitted as the fabric of the curtains were drawn to again.

"Oh _Arthur_ ," a fond voice whispered, cool fingertips dancing over his skin, and he unconsciously shifted closer to the welcome relief of the cold butterfly feeling. The mattress dipped under the extra weight of the newcomer and Arthur open his eyes a slither, attempting to clear his vision enough to make out who it was. Deep down, he could feel that he knew the name, yet the identity slipped undiscovered from his mind like water droplets as the fever made it hard to think.

Swimming waters that hindered his sight cleared finally, allowing him to spot dark and ruffled hair, and bright blue eyes looking somewhat amused as his friend _(manservant, got to remember…)_ watched him intently.

"Merlin?" He croaked, the soft rasping sounds drifting from his throat as he attempted to speak sounding painful even to him.

Merlin tilted his head on one side, his hand slowing to a stop on Arthur's shoulder while the blond attempted to lean against the cool of his friend's hand as much as possible. "Yes, it's me. Not that you would really be able to tell at the moment."

"Wha' happened?" Arthur accepted his vocal range was not up to any come backs at the moment, and resorted to speaking quieter than usual, his gaze watching Merlin intently as the servant leant over to the table.

"Like I mentioned yesterday, when you first admitted you weren't feeling great and didn't take my advice by still going out hunting, you've now come down with a fever." Merlin kept his voice quiet, aware of the headache he suspected his friend was suffering from. Memories crept back from the day before, when he'd been dodging the goblets flying through the air towards him at terrifying speeds, before the muffled coughing had started up. Ignoring his manservant's advice, Arthur had been determined to carry out the hunt with the nobles whom had been visiting the day, despite returning empty handed with a worse cough which seemed to hurt with every word spoken.

Merlin wrapped his fingers around the cold silver of the jug, pouring some water into a cup and settling back down on the bed as he helped Arthur up into a sitting position, and wrapped warm hands around the cup in place of his own. "Don't drink too fast."

"Why?" Arthur whined, sounding more like a brattish and over tired five-year-old than the future king of Camelot. He closed his eyes at the welcome relief of the cold water as it slipped down his throat and leant against Merlin's shoulder as his friend shifted to sit against the wall, anticipating the movement.

"Just listen to me for once, would you?" Merlin slid the cup from Arthur's grasp, ignoring the mutters of protest that met his ears as he placed it on the other side of the bed. "Contrary to popular belief, I do have some good ideas sometimes."

"No you don't," Arthur replied instantly, overly bright blue eyes blinking earnestly up at the raven-haired man as he wriggled closer into his friend's side.

Merlin stared at him for a few seconds, before frowning as recognition of what had just been spoken finally dawned on him. "You're not thinking straight because of a fever, and yet you're still insulting me?" He asked incredulously.

"You're very…" The blond searched through the mental files for a suitable phrase. "Insult-able."

"That's not even a word," Merlin chided gently, a fond smile working its way across his face as he watched Arthur frown, blinking sleepily in the dull light that still struggled through the thick curtains blocking out the traces of the lively city outside.

"Is too," Arthur nodded seriously, before yawning and resting his head on Merlin's shoulder as Merlin slowly draped an arm around the older man's shoulders, drawing him into a hug. In a few days' time, the incident would be denied and Arthur would make a few snide remarks and every would be forgotten, but for now he was content to provide the comfort his friend needed.

"Of course it is," He murmured, drifting his fingers through the strands of blond hair clinging to Arthur's forehead, and sweeping them out of the way, concern prickling at the back of mind at the heat radiating from his friend's skin in waves of warmth. Waiting for a few seconds until he thought Arthur was asleep, he went to wriggle free before Arthur spoke up again.

"Where are you going?" The question hung in the air as Merlin froze, turning back to the blond and smiling at the confused expression.

"To get some medicine from Gaius."

"What for?" Arthur frowned, before his eyes widened in an apparent clarity as he realised aloud in a sleep filled voice. "Are you ill?"

Merlin brought his hand up to his smile to attempt to hide the soft laughter threatening to make an appearance. "Not yet, but you are." There was no doubt he probably would come down with the same sickness in about a week due to the amount of time he spent around Arthur.

"Oh." Arthur contemplated this for a few moments and Merlin went to move again before a sharp tug at his shirt had him returning to his earlier position as Arthur curled his hand into a tight fist around the fabric. The somewhat coherency of his thoughts was fading again as the fever took a further hold, and Merlin slid a damp cloth over the blond's sweat glistening forehead.

"I need to get the medicine, you clot-pole," he murmured with a soft chuckle as Arthur refused to let him move, instead staring up at him with wide imploring eyes, as though an innocent child playing in the streets and causing trouble in the market instead of a fever ridden prince. The childlike side of Arthur was one few people were ever allowed to see, and Merlin felt he should probably feel somewhat pleased that Arthur trusted him enough to let him see him like this.

"Please." The whisper was barely audible as it was spoken into Merlin's shoulder, the heat now mistaken for cold temperatures as shivers ran down the prince's spine, sending him further into the warm embrace. "Stay?"

"Always," Merlin promised, with a sigh as he settled back into a more comfortable posture, his back pressed against the soft mass of pillows choking the stone wall behind him. Listening carefully, he heard Arthur's breathing even out into a rhythmic pace, before he let the blue of his eyes slip into a smouldering gold and the blankets enveloping the chair draped over the two of them, and flames shivered into life in the fire place, soft crackling of burning wood succumbing to the heat of the fire the only sounds in the room.

"You're an idiot," He murmured fondly to the sleeping form of the prince beside him, slumped against his shoulder. Slowly letting his hand continue to weave through the ruffled blond hair, he closed his eyes and let Arthur's even breathing settle him into a relaxed sleep.

Tomorrow was another day, which would probably be filled with the usual evil plotting sorcerers holding grudges and assassins but for now he was sure no harm could come to either of them. Besides, a sleepy and child-like Arthur was just too damn adorable to miss.

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 _ **One day I'll finally publish the first chapter of the long Merlin story I have written in draft form on my laptop, but for now I'll continue to write these short one-shots in the hope that someone out there might enjoy them. Probably not. Oh well. It sure beats Chemistry revision anyway.**_

 _ **Leave a review, please?**_

 _ **Kat x.**_


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